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Minderoo Foundation funds vaccine trial to protect WA healthcare workers from COVID-19At least 2,000 WA healthcare workers will help test whether an existing tuberculosis vaccine can reduce their chance of COVID-19 infection, lessen the severity of symptoms and boost immunity.
News & Events
Community advocate jumps on board with new COVID-19 advisory groupLike many of us, consumer and community advocate Catherine Hughes is worried about the impact of COVID-19. So she joined Australia’s first COVID-19 consumer reference group to be a voice for the community.
News & Events
Rapidly assembled advisory group to offer community take on COVID-19 researchThe speed with which research projects on the coronavirus have been put together has consumer advocates concerned that a vital voice will be missing – that of the community.
Research
COVID-19-Related Submission Priorities From the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases SocietyChristopher Blyth MBBS (Hons) DCH FRACP FRCPA PhD Centre Head, Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases; Co-Head, Infectious Diseases
Research
COVID-19 in children: I. Epidemiology, prevention and indirect impactsChildren globally have been profoundly impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This review explores the direct and indirect public health impacts of COVID-19 on children. We discuss in detail the transmission dynamics, vaccination strategies and, importantly, the ‘shadow pandemic’, encompassing underappreciated indirect impacts of the pandemic on children.
Research
BCG vaccination to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in healthcare workers: Protocol for a randomised controlled trial (BRACE trial)BCG vaccination modulates immune responses to unrelated pathogens. This off-target effect could reduce the impact of emerging pathogens. As a readily available, inexpensive intervention that has a well-established safety profile, BCG is a good candidate for protecting healthcare workers (HCWs) and other vulnerable groups against COVID-19.
Research
COVID-19 and changes in the National Immunisation Program: a unique opportunity to optimise the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)Christopher Blyth MBBS (Hons) DCH FRACP FRCPA PhD Centre Head, Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases; Co-Head, Infectious Diseases
Research
Opportunities to strengthen respiratory virus surveillance systems in Australia: lessons learned from the COVID-19 responseDisease surveillance data was critical in supporting public health decisions throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. At the same time, the unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic revealed many shortcomings of surveillance systems for viral respiratory pathogens. Strengthening of surveillance systems was identified as a priority for the recently established Australian Centre for Disease Control, which represents a critical opportunity to review pre-pandemic and pandemic surveillance practices, and to decide on future priorities, during both pandemic and inter-pandemic periods.
Research
Specific IgA, but Not IgG, in Human Milk from COVID-19-Infected Mothers Neutralizes SARS-CoV-2This study highlights the importance of human milk in providing anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 immunity to newborns. The highest protective activity of human milk against COVID-19 was found in colostrum from infected mothers.
Research
Estimating the impact of test–trace–isolate–quarantine systems on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in AustraliaAustralian states and territories used test-trace-isolate-quarantine (TTIQ) systems extensively in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021. We report on an analysis of Australian case data to estimate the impact of test-trace-isolate-quarantine systems on SARS-CoV-2 transmission.